This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Amber
I’ve been thinking about this idea for a while now — a simple app that lets people watch movies together, in sync, even if they’re miles apart.
There are already a few tools out there for this kind of thing, but building my own version felt like a chance to learn something meaningful — especially around real-time communication, scaling, and full-stack development.
What is CineSync?
CineSync is a small project I’m working on that will allow two to 10 users to:
- Join a shared “room”
- Start a movie at the same time
- Stay in sync if the host pauses, skips, or seeks
- Chat during the movie
The goal isn’t to compete with existing platforms. I just want to build something useful while getting more comfortable with technologies I’ve been meaning to dive deeper into.
Tech Stack (So Far)
I’ll be using:
- React + Next.js – for the frontend
- Firebase – for auth and possibly real-time database
- WebSockets – to keep playback and chat in sync
- GraphQL – for more structured data interactions
I’m still figuring things out and may adjust tools as I go.
What I’m Trying to Learn
I’ve worked with APIs, modern JavaScript frameworks, and a bit of backend in the past. But real-time apps feel like another level — there’s timing, state syncing, and all sorts of small edge cases I’m starting to notice.
This project is my way of:
- Exploring WebSockets and real-time UX
- Understanding the role of state management in shared experiences
- Learning when and how to use Firebase beyond just basic auth
- Practicing building something end-to-end
Open to Feedback & Connection
I’ve had a few collaborations fall through recently — not out of anyone’s fault, just life and timing. So I’m building CineSync solo for now. But I’d still love to connect with folks who are interested in real-time apps, or even just building thoughtful side projects.
If you’ve ever tried something similar (or want to), let’s chat in the comments. I’ll post updates as I go — successes, bugs, and weird edge cases included.
Thanks for reading 
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Amber